


Could-Be Happy Days

by babybirdblues



Series: You're Breaking [5]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Bruce is a bit of a dick, I make myself sad, Q AQ, and the boys suffer for it, he has Issues, okay he's more than a bit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-06
Updated: 2012-11-06
Packaged: 2017-11-18 03:22:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/556332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babybirdblues/pseuds/babybirdblues
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>But Tim’s not stupid.  Tim’s obsessive, socially inept, awkward…and well basically just neurotic in general.  But he’s not stupid.  He’s never been stupid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Could-Be Happy Days

**Author's Note:**

> Bruce is not a nice guy in this series. He gets worse after this point...and the boys are caught in the crossfire. If I'm making you sad, just remember I make myself sad too.

Tim wakes up warm, the rise and fall of the chest behind him nearly lulling him back to sleep.  He doesn’t panic - only because he remembers seeking Jason out after a particularly bad night terror.

“Jason.”

The arms around his waist tighten in response, a muffled groan escaping Jason’s lips.  “‘A’ksl’p.”

But no.  Tim doesn’t want to go back to sleep.  He’s warm and everything but if he stays…well he might panic - even though he knows it is Jason.  “I need up.”

Jason sighs but his arms loosen.  “Wake me up in an hour babybird.”

“Sure.”

Tim won’t though.  Because Jason needs his sleep, he spends too much time taking care of Tim.  It’s nice but…but he can’t do it forever.  Tim can’t get used to it.  Jason will leave because Tim can’t give him what he should.

A huff of air escapes him as he wanders into the kitchen.  It’s a bit strange knowing Jason’s apartment so well in only a month.  But then again, Jason’s been good with dealing with him - with his neuroses.  He knows when to let Tim just _be_.  Bruce.  Bruce never did.  Bruce would try to fix him in the little ways.  He wouldn’t let Tim know he was trying to.

But Tim’s not stupid.  Tim’s obsessive, socially inept, awkward…and well basically just neurotic in general.  But he’s not stupid.  He’s never been stupid.

Anyways, Tim’s comfortable.  Comfortable and actually enjoying himself with Jason.  He doesn’t have to be anything else but Tim.  Not to Jason.  So when a knock echoes through the apartment Tim doesn’t think twice before answering it.

“Little brother!”

“Oh,” this is slightly awkward.  “Hey Dick.”

It takes two minutes of Dick just staring at him for Dick to actually do something.  That something Tim could do without.

“Dick-“

“No.”

“Dick-“

“No.  You.  You never return my calls.  You’re always out.  I just.  No.  You’ll cuddle me damn it or I’m going to force you to.”

Tim pales, struggling in Dick’s arms before giving up.  “How will you do that?”

“Seeing as you’re here, in Jason’s apartment, well I’ll get him to help me.”

“Jason won’t help you.”

“Oh really?  He’s my little brother too you know.  I have my ways.”

Tim’s a little terrified.  Because he’s pretty sure that Dick could actually get Jason to help - eventually if not right away.  So Tim does the one thing he knows will make Dick let up.  “I haven’t eaten in eighteen hours and was just going to get breakfast.”

“Timmy!”

He ignores the sharp sting at the pain in Dick’s voice.  “So yeah.  I’m going to go into the kitchen…just as soon as you let me go.”

Dick doesn’t though.  He continues to hold on.  When he starts talking, it’s quiet and Tim has to strain to hear him.  “I don’t want to lose you little brother.”

Tim wants to answer, he really does, but there’s a lump in his throat he can’t speak past.  So he ends up relaxing and resting his forehead against Dick’s shoulder.  It’s nice.  Tim had forgotten how Dick’s hugs felt.  He supposes that he can stay here for a while.

Grumbling comes from the bedroom as Jason stumbles out barely looking at Dick and the trapped Tim.  Dick smiles - it’s a bit forced.  They watch as Jason whacks into the counter, blinking owlishly.  “What’e fuck is Dickie doin’ here?”

“I miss Tim.  You spend all your time hogging him Jason.  I want cuddles too!”

Jason stares at Dick blearily as he empties the drainer and grabs an apple. “We’re not cuddle whores like you Dickie.”

He gets a pout in return, before it turns into a devilish smirk.  “No but you are domestic.”

Tim’s beat red, face buried in Dick’s shoulder so the only things they can see are his ears.  Jason is still staring blearily, meaning that he probably won’t be rescuing Tim from Dick’s clutches anytime soon.

“May I eat now?”

—-

Dick stays for the rest of the day, rotating cuddles between Tim and Jason - it’s amusing watching Dick force Jason onto the couch to cuddle.  Tim’s pretty antsy by the end of it.  He just wants to go hide in the bedroom.  But there’s his patrol to do.

“Okay.  I have to head out.  Timmy you going to come with?” Dick’s stretching, looking at Tim like he’s trying to tell him…well Tim can’t exactly understand the look on Dick’s face.  He’s saved from answering by Dick’s cell going off.

“Hel- Bruce.”

He goes quiet as Bruce talks.  A frown deepens on his face, keeps deepening the longer Bruce talks.  “No.”

There’s silence on Dick’s end again.  It lasts for a few minutes before Dick hands Tim the phone - he’s still frowning.  Tim doesn’t like that expression on Dick.  It means something is wrong.

“Hello.”

“Tim.  I want you to come back to the Manor.  I’ve let this go on for long enough.”

Tim freezes.  He freezes and can’t breathe.  Because Bruce is trying to fix him again, taking him away from Jason and probably Dick too.  Tim.  Tim doesn’t. He can’t.  A low noise - it would probably be classified as a keen - escapes his throat and suddenly he doesn’t have the phone anymore.  Jason does.  Jason who is swearing and rage at Bruce.  If Jason’s on the phone - Dick is whispering soothing words in Tim’s ear, rocking them gently.

“It’s okay little brother.  You don’t have to go back.  It’s okay.”

But it’s not.  Because Bruce.  Bruce doesn’t approve and he’s going to keep trying.  Does Bruce…does Bruce finally want Tim as family?  But.  Family doesn’t do that.  Jason told him so.  Dick.  Dick hasn’t asked either and…and he still.  He still says Tim’s his little brother.  Tim doesn’t understand.  He doesn’t.  He can’t.

“Babybird look at me.”

Jason’s there -strong and steady in front of him - forcing Tim to look meet his eyes.  Dick still has an arm wrapped around Tim, his forehead resting against Tim’s shoulder.

“Okay.”

“You’re not going back.”

“Okay.”

“I mean it.”

“Okay.”

Tim hears two frustrated noises: one from Dick and one from Jason.  He knows it’s because they don’t believe him, that he doesn’t believe them.  But, he wants to.  He wants to believe them and he wants his okay to mean something too.

“Okay.  You said we’ll be okay.”

Jason smiles then.  “Hell yeah babybird.”


End file.
